J&K govt takes over 58 private schools linked to banned Jamaat, its affiliate FAT

The Jammu & Kashmir government has taken over 58 private schools in the Valley on the grounds that they were affiliated with the banned Jamaat-e-Islami, Jammu and Kashmir, and its educational body, Falah-e-Aam Trust (FAT).

The takeover comes nearly eight months after the J&K government took control of 215 Jamaat-affiliated schools. The Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India had outlawed Jamaat in 2019.

A government order from J&K’s Education Secretary issued on Friday said the intelligence agencies have identified 58 more such functional schools which were found to be directly or indirectly affiliated with proscribed organisation Jamat–e-Islami (JeI)/Falah-e-Aam Trust (FAT). The order said the validity of the Managing Committee of these 58 such schools has expired or have been reported adversely upon by the intelligence agencies.

The order issued by education department which falls under Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, asked deputy commissioners to take over the management of these schools. The Deputy Commissioner were advised to propose a fresh Managing Committee in due course for the concerned schools after getting these duly verified.

“The Concerned District Magistrate/ Deputy Commissioner, on taking over these Schools, shall take appropriate steps in consultation and in coordination with School Education Department so that to ensure that the academic career of the students enrolled in these schools is not affected in any manner,” the order read.

After the order, the authorities on Saturday took over the control of these schools.

Of the 58 schools, Baramulla district accounts for the highest number with 29 institutions. Pulwama follows with 7 schools, while Kulgam and Kupwara have 5 schools that have been taken over. Anantnag and Budgam has 4 such schools, and Bandipora has 2. The lowest numbers are recorded in Shopian and Srinagar, with one school each that has been taken over.

In August last year J&K government had taken over 215 Jamaat-affiliated schools.